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Tag: Vatican City State

Here is part of the ceiling of the Gallery of Geographical Maps in the Vatican Museums. According to the Vatican City State website,

It takes its name from the 40 maps frescoed on the walls, which represent the Italian regions and the papal properties at the time of Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585). They were painted between 1580 and 1585 on drawings by Ignazio Danti, a famous geographer of the time.

For us, the golden Mannerist artwork on the vaulted ceiling of this hall is much more beautiful than that on the walls.

Vatican Museum Hallway

This gallery, about 400 feet long, is on the third floor of the Belvedere Courtyard. Visitors to the Vatican Museums who are not particularly interested in Italian geography might rush through this gallery on their way to the Sistine Chapel with its extraordinary ceiling. As the photo shows, the crowd ahead of us is looking at neither the walls nor the ceiling. Perhaps they will take a better look on their return.